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Detection and Monitoring of Tumor Associated Circulating DNA in Patient Biofluids
Published on: June 8, 2019
Predicting high risk disease using serum and DNA biomarkers
Danny Vesprini1, Stanley Liu, Robert Nam
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. danny.vesprini@sunnybrook.ca
Current Opinion in Urology
|March 2, 2013
Summary
New serum and genetic biomarkers show promise for monitoring men with localized prostate cancer on active surveillance. These markers may help predict aggressive disease, improving patient management and reducing unnecessary treatments.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomarker Discovery
- Prostate Cancer Research
Background:
- Active surveillance is a management strategy for localized prostate cancer.
- A key challenge is identifying patients with occult high-grade disease or those who may develop it.
- Current prognostic factors may not adequately detect aggressive disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review serum and genetic biomarkers for monitoring men with localized prostate cancer.
- To identify biomarkers that predict the development or presence of occult high-grade prostate cancer.
- To assess the potential utility of these biomarkers in active surveillance protocols.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on serum and genetic biomarkers.
- Analysis of evidence for biomarkers predicting aggressive or high-grade prostate cancer.
- Focus on biomarkers validated in early prostate carcinogenesis.
Main Results:
- Several serum biomarkers, including human Kallikrein 2 (hK2) and early prostate cancer antigen (EPCA), show predictive value.
- Genetic biomarkers such as BRCA1/BRCA2, PTEN, MYC, and NKX3.1 may also indicate aggressive disease.
- These biomarkers appear to be identifiable early in the prostate cancer development process.
Conclusions:
- Emerging serum and genetic biomarkers offer potential for improving active surveillance of prostate cancer.
- Unlike established biomarkers, these show promise in earlier stages of the disease.
- Further research is needed to determine the clinical utility and role of these biomarkers in active surveillance.
